TONGA

Where is it? A tiny dot in the South Pacific 1200 miles north of New Zealand, as far south of the equator as Hawaii is north.

The tiny dot is actually an archipelago of 170 islands in three major groups, most of them uninhabited...castaway islands, home to about 105,000 people total. (Another 60,000 Tongans live overseas and send remittances of money and goods back home to help sustain the home economy.)

Why did we go? A significant portion of the First United Methodist Church of Palo Alto's membership are Tongan. We understand so little of their culture. They struggle to understand our ways. We wanted to go and experience the Tongan way.

Who went? 11 palangi and 4 Tongans. Maile Koloto, the Tongan pastor, and his wife, Eveline (Latu), Suliana Fanua, and Makeleta Lomu, travel agent and tour guide and member of our Tongan fellowship.

Continue to: What Did We Do & Find?
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